Chapter 91: The 28th, and Then It’s New Year’s Eve

This was something Lu Yuanbao never dared imagine: once the 28th day of the lunar month arrived, New Year’s Eve was just around the corner… and now, he had money! And so much of it!

“I can’t… I can’t take the money,”

Lu Yuanbao, after his initial daze, shook his head firmly.

He knew clearly that everything sold was made by Chu Yue with her time and effort. He had only helped a little—it wouldn’t be right to take half the money. In fact, he felt he shouldn’t take any at all.

But Chu Yue said,

“Yuanbao, when you give something, you receive something in return. This money is what you’ve earned. From now on, if you want to eat something or buy something, you can use this money.”

“Me?” he asked in disbelief.

“Yes, you. This money is yours. So, you have the right to spend it however you want,” Chu Yue said carefully, word by word.

Chu Yue didn’t teach him like typical parents would—that money is hard to earn, that it should be saved, and not spent recklessly.

Instead, she brought Lu Yuanbao along to buy whatever they wanted, eat whatever they craved. Because Yuanbao was not like other kids—he had already been through too much. He was sensible, self-restrained, always tense.

What Chu Yue wanted was for Lu Yuanbao to loosen up, to be more like a child again—to recover the carefree part of his childhood that he’d lost.

She found a metal tin to use as his personal piggy bank, stored his money inside, and hid it in his little room—a place only Yuanbao knew about.

As for sleeping arrangements, of course the two of them still shared a bed. After all, Lu Zhanlin still hadn’t returned.

…

A few more days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was the 28th of the lunar month.

That year, there was no 30th day on the lunar calendar, so after the 28th, it would be New Year’s Eve.

To ensure a lively, festive New Year, Chu Yue had been busy for days. When the 28th finally arrived, unexpectedly, it was a beautiful sunny day. She took the quilts and pillows out to sun them.

Sunshine like that was something Chu Yue never dared dream of during the apocalypse.

After being in the sun, the bedding would become extra fluffy and soft. When you lay in bed at night, you could even smell the sunshine, and feel warm and cozy through the night.

Chu Yue hung the quilts, while Lu Yuanbao carried the pillows.

Chu Yue swept the floor inside and out, and Yuanbao followed behind her with a mop.

One big, one small—working together didn’t feel like a chore at all.

During this time, every household in the compound was preparing for the New Year. Even though it was winter, the air was filled with a cheerful energy. The sisters-in-law all greeted each other with smiles, and the aroma from various kitchens floated through the air.

Chen Fengying, known for her excellent steamed buns, also made dumplings, flower rolls, and dough figurines. She brought quite a few treats over for Chu Yue.

Zheng Yue’e came by with a few big cabbages, along with some dried radish and preserved green beans she had made earlier. Though the items weren’t expensive, the thoughtfulness behind them was what mattered.

After lunch, Chu Yue took Yuanbao out for a walk. Ostensibly, it was to look for Xia Xiaolan, but in truth, she wanted to get information about Wang Chunling.

After the dispute with Li Jinhua over the wild mountain chicken, it would likely stir up more conflict if she visited Wang Chunling’s house again. That would just put Wang Chunling in a difficult spot.

But the child was handed to her by Chu Yue herself, and she had even given the child a name. She couldn’t help but worry about both mother and daughter—so she had no choice but to go through Xia Xiaolan.

Xia Xiaolan was still a young girl who didn’t yet understand all the social intricacies. When she saw Chu Yue, she treated her like a close friend and immediately grabbed her hand and began to chat enthusiastically.

“Comrade Chu, you have no idea—ever since those two chickens from Old Lady Li’s place were gone, my life has become so much better. No more chickens sneaking into my yard to eat my baby bok choy, no more chickens pooping all over the courtyard. I finally don’t have to clean up chicken poop anymore. It’s such a relief… And also, no more loud rooster crowing at the crack of dawn… I’m not even ashamed to say it—I actually slept in until eight o’clock this morning without being woken up! I almost forgot what it feels like to sleep in.”

At this point, Xia Xiaolan blushed a little, laughing with slight embarrassment.

Chu Yue was also amused by her rambling. After listening for a while, she brought up Wang Chunling, glancing subtly in the direction of the courtyard next door.

Only then did Xia Xiaolan catch on.

“Chunling-jie? She’s doing much better. Comrade Chu, just like you suggested, I steam an egg for her every day and sneak it over to her. Chunling-jie told me that ever since the chickens stopped crowing, both she and the baby have been sleeping much better. Old Lady Li’s been out a lot these past few days—probably busy preparing for the New Year—so she hasn’t had time to bother Chunling-jie. Don’t worry, I check in on her once in the morning and once in the afternoon. If anything comes up, I’ll immediately come get you for help.”

“And the baby?”

“Nuanyang is looking better and better. She’s growing so fast—every time I visit, she seems bigger. Over the past few days, her complexion has lightened a lot. Now she’s all fair and tender, just like a little egg.”

Hearing that, Chu Yue nodded in relief.

She knew that newborns often appear yellow due to residual jaundice in their bodies, but it usually fades after a few days of metabolism, and the skin tone returns to normal.

Wang Chunling had good genes, and the baby girl took after her—fair and delicate.

“Xiaolan, I brought this for you to eat.” Chu Yue hadn’t come empty-handed—she had bought some fried rice cakes earlier and now offered a portion to Xia Xiaolan.

Xia Xiaolan was surprised.

“Why are you giving this to me? I don’t have kids in my house.”

Despite saying that, her face lit up when she accepted the crispy rice cakes. She grinned like a child and whispered,

“I love this stuff—it’s so crunchy and tasty.”

Not letting Chu Yue leave empty-handed, Xia Xiaolan picked some of the baby bok choy she had carefully grown—crisp and tender—and gave them to Chu Yue as a gift.

After making her rounds in the compound, several hours had passed by the time Chu Yue returned home. The sky was beginning to cloud over.

In winter, once the sun fades, it gets dark quickly.

Chu Yue, seeing the sun was gone, started gathering the bedding from the courtyard, trying to preserve the faint warmth of the sunlight trapped in the fabric.

The blanket was a large double-size one. Though it wasn’t heavy for Chu Yue, it was bulky. As she moved it, it partially blocked her vision.

Chu Yue stood on tiptoe, arms full as she lifted the blanket off the clothesline. She took a few steps back and turned toward the house.

Just then, her heel caught on a stone sticking up from the ground, and her footing faltered.

She was still holding the blanket and couldn’t see the ground clearly.

Chu Yue’s body lost balance and tilted dangerously, seemingly about to fall.

Lu Yuanbao panicked and grabbed at the blanket in her arms, trying to steady her body by pulling it. But he was just a small child—too small, with too little strength to help.

Then—at the critical moment—

A strong arm suddenly wrapped around Chu Yue’s waist, catching both her and the blanket securely.

At the same time, she felt a warm body press against her back.

She had fallen—right into a broad, solid chest.

Chu Yue lifted her head, her bright eyes glancing behind her, locking eyes with a pair of deep, dark eyes like ink.

Lu Zhanlin stared at her and spoke gently:

“I’ll take it from here.”